Sime~Gen Roleplaying on IRC: Snake River Dam Scenario
Episode #20: Them's the Rules (7/23/00)
Starlin glances out over the crowd of laborers who have assembled in the newly constructed SWAT union hall.
Starlin's nose twitches as the scent of pine from the freshly cut planks fills the air, masking the not so pleasant odors arising from the sweaty bodies of the workers.
Starlin sees the hall is satisfyingly full, but there is an ominous undertone to the ambient nager.
Starlin strides confidently out onto the raised platform that passes for a stage.
Arat is woozy with anti-allergens and pesticides, covered with older bug bites and a newer bright red rash from some sort of chemical that oozed into the mud on the construction site, and wrapped in a veil to combat the dust from the constant blasting. Like a show jumper being trained to the hunt, he is learning not to flinch at each explosion. Slowly.
Nick stands quietly by Arat's side, trying to keep him ~~ calm ~~ and as comfortable as possible, given the crowd.
Starlin: Welcome, my brothers and sisters! Sime Workers All Together!
Arat has completed the initial rough population estimate and set nearly all the other channels and Donors to performing a true census. He even got a chance to do clinical work (if it can be called that, here) this morning.
Coras sits thinking how much he doesn't want to be here. It's been six months since the accident that left ten tentacles instead of twelve. It could have been worse. He still has his laterals.
Ferr frowns at the podium, not about to cheer his leadership until it provides him with the employment it promised.
Starlin makes an elaborate tentacle gesture that is the special greeting sign of the membership.
Ferr really appreciated the quality of the transfer he got this morning, but that doesn't quite make up for the lack of funds with which to pay his selyn taxes.
Coras has finally made peace with the knowledge that a channel with the kind of disfigurement he has is pretty much out of business anyway. The renSimes cringed as hard as the Gens had.
Ferr grumbles to himself, wondering if a vote of "no confidence" in the leadership would win.
Starlin: ~~field inviting a response in unison~~ SIME WORKERS ALL TOGETHER!
Ferr responds dutifully but unenthusiastically, and adds "and non-workers too, it seems" under his breath.
Atlas: [follows the leader] Sime Workers All Together.
Arat rather wishes he wasn't here.
Coras wonders why he let Starlin talk him into coming up here. They certainly don't require a deformed Third Order channel and he has very few useful skills other than his way with numbers.
Arat can't do anything about that, though, so simply continues to scan the crowd and watch Starlin.
Starlin: And we are all together... here at the Snake River Construction site.
Starlin: Look at this wonderful union hall we have built!
Ferr: Without pay. [muttered]
Arat frowns, wondering where the tools were obtained, and hopes that does not become the first serious issue.
Coras guesses he should report to the Controller now that he has finally arrived.
Starlin: We have laid the foundation and now we can begin to build!
Starlin: Tonight, we have a special guest.
Coras hopes that the Controller will honor his dispensation and not try to take Jesup away from him.
Ferr had hoped to be building on the foundation of the dam by this point, not merely the union hall.
Starlin: Let me introduce Controller Arat Farris, who is in charge of selyn management for the Dam project and was the negotiator with Mama Fragga in Capitol.
Starlin: He has news for us about the final settlement, and what we can expect to happen here.
Arat sighs, and climbs the steps to join Starlin on the stage.
Coras remembers too well the last run in he had with an unsympathetic Controller. Which is why he was up here. Oh, yeah now he remembers.
Starlin: Controller Arat, the SWAT membership listens.
Nick sticks to Arat's elbow, ready to pass another handkerchief if necessary.
Starlin steps to the side, offering Arat center stage.
Arat unhooks his head veil so that his face can be seen. The SWAT membership probably care more about that than whether he can breathe or not.
Ferr pays polite attention to Arat: after all, a very good channel is of far more interest than a union leader who has failed to get Ferr a job.
Arat nods acknowledgement to Starlin.
Nick frowns at the veil-removal, but doesn't object.
Arat: The negotiations in Capitol are complete.
Arat: A settlement has been made, and all terms finalized.
Ferr leans forward.
Coras watches the new Controller, trying to get a feel for whether or not he will be cooperative or just another hassle.
Starlin listens with interest. Arat seems to have out-distanced the couriers who were supposed to have delivered him the news from Fragga.
Arat: SWAT has been granted right of first refusal for all positions for renSimes which become available at the Snake River Dam project in the next year.
Ferr gives a raucous cheer, waving his fist in the air.
Arat flinches slightly as a roar goes up in the not-so-large meeting hall.
Arat's nerves are not what they used to be, or rather his environment isn't.
Starlin whoops and yodels.
Nick places a discreet hand on Arat's arm and thinks ~~ calm support ~~
Starlin makes the SWAT tentacle gesture above his head.
Nick wishes he weren't lowfield for a moment, but then remembers that if he were highfield, Arat would be in need, and thus even jumpier.
Coras watches his old friend's jubilation and wishes he could share at least a part of it.
Coras goes through the motions.
Atlas puzzles out the big words. He is not quite sure what was said, but everyone seems to think it is good.
Arat waits until they have had an appropriate time to celebrate, and then holds up one veiled hand for their attention.
Starlin also gestures for quiet.
Ferr falls silent, so he won't miss the details of where to report for work in the morning.
Arat: However, some concessions were made.
Arat: No person who has been convicted of crimes of destruction during the recent riots in Capitol will be hired by this project.
Ferr is not concerned by this, as he was a few days late arriving for that particular action.
Arat: Also, SWAT has agreed that it will not turn down membership to any person who qualifies, as the bylaws are currently drawn.
Ferr frowns, then jumps to his feet.
Ferr: Starlin, does that mean we have to take all the rabble, too?
Coras projects a nageric suggestion for calm into his general vicinity.
Coras is not ready to deal with a riot.
Arat's attention is immediately drawn to Coras.
Ferr thinks this sounds like too much competition: he's well aware that only half of the current supplicants will be employed, even during the later stages of construction.
Coras kicks himself for letting his reflexes get the better of his judgment.
Arat frowns, as he identifies a channel he has never seen before and is definitely not on his payroll.
Arat had a chance to meet everybody this morning.
Coras shrugs and gets ready for the pain to come.
Arat turns his attention back to the matter at hand, though he continues to look rather disturbed.
Starlin frowns at this; he will have to clarify the legal meaning of that statement with Mama Fragga.
Starlin: No, we don't have to take all the rabble.
Arat: In addition to preference for hiring for renSime positions, [continues, then pauses as he waits for the hubbub to die down]
Coras projects a stronger suggestion. ~~Calm, quiet, listen.~~
Starlin lets it go at that, but thinks that SWAT is for workers and can certainly refuse anyone not fit to work.
Arat: SWAT members shall be given preference for early transfer dates and transfers from high order personnel.
Ferr yips in ~~ delight ~~
Ferr had never had a transfer with a First before he got Arat that morning, and is eager to repeat the experience.
Arat knows that the SWAT leadership really wanted pay increases or tax relief rather than transfer concessions, but personally the transfer concessions gall him. He does not think the SWAT members rate better transfers than the rest of the rabble.
Arat will carry out the letter of the agreement, of course. His sense of duty is impeccable.
Starlin grins widely. He knows how well this will go over with the membership.
Arat thinks it plays hell with the scheduling, particularly if the SWAT membership undergoes dramatic changes in numbers, in either direction.
Starlin awaits details of the bonuses or tax cuts that he is also expecting.
Ferr is, of course, aware that those SWAT members who are actually employed will be allowed to augment, and thus will get more of the top-quality transfers.
Arat: And finally, SWAT may have, at its option, one representative on a newly forming labor issues council to also contain construction representatives, a ASLTU representative [names the primary Gen labor union], officials from Sime and Gen territory, and myself.
Ferr jumps to his feet as one of his issues comes up.
Starlin frowns at the word "finally."
Ferr: And what about that ASLTU? They're taking all the jobs!
Arat: Which council is to have deciding power over labor issues pertaining directly and exclusively to the Snake River Dam construction project.
Arat glances down at Ferr.
Ferr: I gotta pay my taxes, and I can't do that without work!
Ferr: I paid my dues for years--where's my job?
Starlin: Pipe down, Ferr!
Starlin: Let Controller Arat finish.
Coras can see this could go south fairly quickly.
Arat: As I am sure you are aware, there have been a number of rumors circulating about the state of the selyn distribution for this site.
Coras projects ~~CALM~~.
Arat: Fortunately, the situation is not so critical as you have been led to believe.
Arat has already boxed Nick's ears thoroughly, if figuratively, for his part in that.
Nick therefore gives a Farris-perceptible wince at the mention of his scam, however well-intentioned it was.
Arat: There is no short term shortage, and as Controller I am in the process of putting together a comprehensive plan to prevent any shortage in the future as well.
Starlin frowns again.
Arat: You may rest assured that no renSime will be shorted or delayed, so long as I am Controller.
Arat thinks that there is little chance of him not being Controller any time soon, more's the pity
Starlin: We were told that there weren't enough Gens to provide for all the people in the area.
Arat: While it is true that the number of renSimes outnumber the number of Gens in the immediate vicinity, that is no surprise.
Arat: There are actually more Gens here than was originally projected.
Arat: Selyn for this project will be brought in from elsewhere in Sime Territory, as originally planned.
Starlin: Well, Ferr has a good point about all the Gen workers taking jobs our people could do.
Arat does not mention Mr. Birch's attempts to obtain a selyn donation agreement with local Gen towns. The last thing he wants to do is remind renSimes worried about their transfers that OT-Gens live nearby.
Starlin: We didn't object because we were told increasing the number of Gens around here was the only way to avoid selyn shortages.
Arat: Unfortunately, the agreement made by Fragga in Capitol does not limit the number of Gens to be hired. Except for those present illegally in Sime Territory, they have full rights to any Gen positions available.
Starlin: My understanding is that Gens have been placed in positions originally meant for Simes.
Starlin: So that, as you say, there are more Gens here than originally planned.
Coras projects more ~~CALM~~ and gets ready to get out of the way.
Starlin: If there is no crisis, can you intercede with the Gen management to reverse this?
Arat: As I understand it, the increase in numbers is mainly due to unsolicited job applicants, just as the increase in renSimes is.
Arat: Not due to a change in the hiring practices.
Starlin thinks this is not what Sayward told him. He decides to take it up with her at the first opportunity.
Ferr: What are all those Gens doing, coming here to work, anyway? This is our Territory!
Coras zlins the rising tempers in the Simes out side the sphere of his projection.
Arat: However, such issues are the province of the new labor council, and may be discussed equitably there.
Arat: You are encouraged to send a representative.
Ferr had hoped, when he saw the crowds, that at least some of the Gen jobs would be open to Simes also.
Starlin: We will certainly do so!
Arat has been keeping a firm rein on his nager so far. He is not sure how many hidden spies there might be, whose jobs are to make sure that any attempt at Audnes behavior is known of in Capitol.
Arat unfortunately does not have much experience in crowd control that he did not learn directly from his parents, and doesn't have their unmistakable stamp on it.
Starlin faces the group.
Starlin: The Construction team is managed by people from out-Territory, because they are the only ones who have preserved the Ancient methods of Dam construction.
Starlin: The plan calls for much of the work to be done by Simes under augmentation.
Starlin: In fact, the schedules require that.
Starlin: Our members will have first chance at all of those jobs.
Ferr: So, when are they going to hire me?!!
Ferr's union "us" is supplemented with a good portion of still-unemployed "me".
Starlin: Soon, Ferr. Everything depends on developing a good relationship with these out-Territory bosses.
Ferr: So how am I supposed to pay my taxes in the mean time??:
Starlin turns to Arat.
Arat only has half a mind on this exchange. He seeks out Coras and zlins him through the crowd, narrowing and refining his perceptions to the best of his Farris ability.
Nick sees Arat zlinning, and adjusts his nager to assist instead of block.
Starlin: How does the Tecton plan to handle the many indigent and unemployed here?
Coras knows that the Controller is zlinning him closely.
Starlin: You dare not deny anyone transfer, taxes or no, or there will be Kills.
Arat of course can't tell as much as he'd like to, under the circumstances. He will have to find him later.
Arat in fine Farris form glances at Starlin a bit belatedly.
Arat: No one will be denied transfer.
Arat thought he had made that clear earlier.
Arat is used to being taken at his precise word, despite the fact that many orators say things like "no renSime shall be shorted or delayed" and don't really mean it.
Coras doesn't tighten down his show field. What would be the point? The Controller is a Farris. He continues to project as much ~~CALM~~ as he can manage.
Starlin: This guild hall is available to any union member without funds.
Starlin: We will provide shelter and food to our members, as we have always done.
Starlin: Those without current employment will work for the union to help provide for themselves and each other.
Arat suspects that they will not be upholding the spirit of the agreement about letting in all qualified applicants.
Arat will, of course, be required to report that to the authorities in Capitol.
Starlin: I will contact Mama Fragga about arranging loans for those with tax problems.
Arat accepts the necessity of acting as labor relations liaison as an evil brought about by the way he arrived here. However, he does wish he could concentrate more on being Controller.
Arat has yet to meet with Mr. Birch and give him the bad news.
Arat would like to get that out of the way.
Ferr grumbles; he suspects that SWAT-provided makework won't involve either augmentation or prior access to the best channels.
Ferr: Just make 'em fire some of those Gens, that's all I have to say. Particularly since it seems we don't need 'em anyway.
Starlin: There will be work for you all, provided we can gain the confidence of the out-Territory managers.
Starlin: Let's show them what real Sime workers can do!
Arat decides this would be a good time for him to exit.
Starlin: Do you think you can out-perform a Gen?
Arat has said all that he was required to say, and the crowd is mostly paying attention to Starlin now.
Ferr: Not in eating, or tripping over my own feet, I can't!
Starlin: Well, then, we have to show them!
Arat touches Nick's arm and then walks down the stairs, refastening his veil as he goes.
Nick slips out at Arat's side.
Coras zlins the meeting turning into a union rally and relaxes a bit.
Starlin: They've never seen Simes really work before.
Ferr thinks it would be much easier to show them if he could actually get a job.
Starlin: This isn't the time to grouse or drag your feet.
Starlin: We get every Sime we can on the payroll, and we leave every non-union worker in the dust.
Ferr forbears from saying this, however, as it might discourage those who are employed from proving the Sime case to the management types.
Coras decides this would be a good time to leave as well.
Starlin: We get them to come begging us for more of the same.
Ferr has nowhere to go, and nothing to do tomorrow anyway, and so is prepared to sit and listen to Starlin cheerleading for hours.
Ferr reflects that at least Starlin is cheaper than porstan, if not quite so entertaining.
Coras makes his way to the door and walks out into the fresh air, wondering when he will have to face the music with the Controller.
Starlin: Anyone else have anything to add? Any suggestions?
Ferr settles back to listen as six other SWAT members jump to their feet.
Starlin braces himself for the hours of wrangling he knows will follow.
see note 1
Starlin stands outside his tent, brewing tea for Coras.
Starlin watches the mutilated channel squirm uncomfortably on the log that serves for a chair for company.
Coras is glad to have some decent tea to drink, as all he can afford is the low grade stuff. Even if the log is a bit lumpy.
Coras [the longer he thinks about it the more he thinks coming to this place was a bad idea.]
Coras waits for the tea and looks at Starlin waiting to see what has been decided.
Starlin: So, what did you think of the meeting?
Coras: It was an experience.
Starlin: Your Tecton planning conferences are run a bit differently, huh?
Coras: More quietly at least. [chuckles a bit]
Starlin: Yeah, they're a rough bunch. Tough and loud and they say what they think.
Coras can remember the Firsts getting into some rather nasty sparing matches while the rest of them covered their arms and ducked.
Starlin: No pretty-nager manners.
Coras: That is a good thing. Sometimes.
Coras: I guess the question is, do you have a place for me?
Starlin pours out the tea into the wooden cups. Good, aromatic #3 from his quickly dwindling stock.
Coras: Narosian?
Starlin blinks.
Starlin: Are you kidding?
Starlin hands the cup to Coras.
Starlin: It's good, strong #3 standard.
Starlin: Which is better than #5, believe me.
Coras shrugs and takes the cup. Narosian or not, it's better than anything he has on hand.
Starlin: Well, we can't pay you, or anything like that.
Starlin: But if you want to help out, believe me, you would be welcome.
Starlin: We require all the help we can get!
Starlin grins wryly.
Coras: I expected as much. I do a lot of volunteer work these days.
Coras makes sure that the scars from his missing ventrals are turned downward.
Starlin: And I think you will find that workers have a different attitude about disability than people in the middle class.
Starlin: We live with danger every day.
Starlin: Some of us go down in the mines and risk being crushed by rocks.
Coras wonders if Starlin would take transfer from him. He doubts it.
Coras: Well the union workers have been promised High Order transfers. That would exclude me even if I was whole.
Coras: Jesup has gotten very good at keeping my secondary system dormant.
Coras: It isn't as bad as it used to be.
Starlin: Well, the union wouldn't ask you to do any channeling work.
Starlin: I mean, that's all handled by the selyn management officials.
Starlin: Though if you look around, you can see that there is going to be plenty of work for any channel they can get.
Starlin: I had something else in mind.
Coras: Well, that would be up to the Controller and I don't know if he would have me.
Starlin: You'll have to ask.
Starlin: I'm just saying that workers aren't all that squeamish.
Coras: Yes, but I was hoping you would have something.
Starlin: And you said you were good at math, and you can read and write?
Coras wonders how much truth there is to that. Everyone he has touched since the accident was squeamish.
Starlin zlins Coras' aura of hopelessness and depression and wonders if he's wasting his time here.
Coras: Yes, very good at math. I used to work in the Controller's office at Rose Creek.
Starlin: Well, you saw what happened in the meeting.
Starlin: We've got hundreds of members cooling their heels until they get put on the payroll.
Coras feels Starlin zlin him and knows a renSime can't possible understand what he has lost.
Starlin: And that's going to take weeks to arrange.
Starlin: Until then, they've got to pay their selyn taxes.
Coras: What would you like me to do? I'm pretty good at organizing.
Jeniard crunches over half-dried ruts of mud, toward a particularly ugly knot of tents and shanties.
Starlin: One of SWAT's most important services is to offer our members loans to tide them over these types of circumstances.
Jeniard whistles, actually in rather a good mood. Arat has arrived safely and seems to not be in complete shell shock (quite), and Jeniard is enjoying the technical challenges of the census.
Jeniard is taking a break from the census to do a small errand for Arat.
Starlin: I've sent a messenger to get approval from headquarters.
Coras: You know about my math skills just name it. I am desperate to have something to do.
Jeniard is supposed to check out a rogue 3rd Arat spotted at the Union meeting.
Starlin: But we are pretty much certain these people will be employed soon, so we can get their taxes paid now and expect to get the money back.
Starlin: But that means keeping track of hundreds of credit applications.
Coras: That would help to ease some of the tension around here.
Coras finds that the constant tension is really more painful than the ghost pain in his ventrals at times.
Jeniard zlins about and notes, without too much surprise, that the rogue is in front of Starlin's tent.
Jeniard continues his uphill trek, now aiming for the tent in question.
Starlin: Yes it would. It will be essential to get the cooperation I require from these people to carry out the rest of our plan.
Starlin: But it's a big, big job.
Starlin: It would take somebody with good math and accounting skills and an even temper.
Starlin: Some of these Simes can't read or write.
Jeniard is a plain-looking First with glasses and brown hair. His only claims to fame are that he is rather more sensitive than most, and he is the only person in human history to have been on Arat's good side more or less continuously for more than a few days.
Coras: I have nothing but time. And a good sense of the absurd.
Starlin: If you're willing to take it on, we'd be extremely grateful.
Jeniard approaches Starlin and Coras.
Starlin: And I believe you'll find that handing out money to people who are broke is almost as satisfying as serving Need. Maybe not quite.
Coras turns as he zlins a First Order channel approaching.
Coras knows it's time to face the music.
Starlin zlins that the channel who arrived before Arat is coming their way.
Jeniard has not had a lot of interaction with Starlin, but he knows who he is and what he's about, and they have been introduced.
Jeniard: Hello.
Starlin stands.
Jeniard: Hope I'm not interrupting anything.
Jeniard zlins relatively harmless.
Coras: Hello.
Starlin: Welcome, Hajene Jeniard.
Jeniard: Who's your friend, here?
Starlin: Let me introduce you to Hajene Coras.
Jeniard: Pleased to meet you.
Jeniard extends a hand for a greeting touch.
Coras: Not Hajene any longer. I'm retired.
Coras: Pleased to meet you.
Starlin: He is from Rose Creek.
Coras hesitates to touch the other channel but does so anyway.
Coras is still very selfconscious about the scar and the nageric distortions it causes.
Starlin: Controller Arat spoke with the SWAT membership today.
Starlin: The treaty terms are... well, frankly I had hoped for better.
Jeniard looks at the scar with clinical interest, but no revulsion. He has seen thousands of bad injuries in his career as a channel.
Starlin: It will be no easy task, persuading our members to accept these compromises.
Coras zlins the new arrival knowing full well that he can't penetrate a First's show field. But the years have taught him a few tricks for reading even Firsts.
Starlin: But we made a good start of it.
Coras finds only detached interest, nothing more.
Coras sighs inwardly and lets down his guard just a bit.
Jeniard: That's good.
Starlin: Please thank the Controller for granting our concerns his time and attention.
Jeniard: I will. You know, he did the best he could for you, in Capitol.
Starlin nods.
Starlin: And the rest of the battle must be fought here, in the woods.
Jeniard means, Arat nearly murdered himself making all the meetings on time and still getting in enough clinical work to avoid dangerous entran complications.
Jeniard glances at Coras, again.
Jeniard: Controller Arat asked me to speak to you.
Coras: I thought so.
Jeniard: He's a bit concerned, because there was no advance warning of your assignment here, you are not on record with the others, and you have not come forward to register yourself.
Jeniard isn't going to come out and say the R word, although it should be pretty obvious what this looks like.
Jeniard: [the R word, by the way, is not "retired"]
Coras: I have been remiss. I will attend to it shortly.
Jeniard studies Coras. That is a terrible answer, of course.
Coras: I have no official standing in the Tecton any longer.
Jeniard is more easy-going than Arat, but he does have to resolve this situation to Arat's liking or suffer the consequences.
Jeniard: How is that?
Jeniard: If I may ask.
Jeniard is a kind and sensitive channel at the surface, but at his core he is capable of nearly anything.
Coras: My injury has been a hindrance to my working as a channel. I have a Controller dispensation that allows me to do what ever work I can find. Unfortunately channeling isn't work I can do anymore.
Jeniard: Whatever work you can find?
Coras: I have a talent for numbers.
Jeniard: I am not familiar with the status you claim. Could you explain it to me further?
Jeniard is, of course, thoroughly indoctrinated in the Tecton regulations and is not aware of any legal situation which would allow a channel to work in an area unregistered and unscheduled by a Controller.
Coras: It is rather simple. RenSimes abort off me and Gens can't stand to let me touch them.
Jeniard does not think that Coras has answered his question at all.
Coras: In short, Hajene, I am dying and I won't be a problem for much longer.
Starlin blinks.
Jeniard: Dying, why?
Jeniard zlins no reason for such a proclamation.
Jeniard: Let me see your paperwork.
Jeniard has the right to make such a request, as Coras' ranking superior. Assuming, that is, that Coras is still as Tecton-legal as he claims.
Coras can't believe that another channel would ask that question.
Coras: I can't work as a channel. That is why.
Starlin thinks that he had heard that retired channels faced health problems, but Coras had not explained his situation so baldly before.
Coras: My papers are in my tent. I will bring them to your office if you would prefer.
Jeniard: It would be easier if you gave them to me now, rather than bringing them to my office where Arat will be also.
Jeniard: However, if that is your wish, I will tell him to expect you... within the hour?
Starlin wonders if it would be a good idea to put the SWAT loan program in the tentacles of someone who is likely to croak at any time.
Coras: If you want to wait, I will go get them now. Or you could come with me.
Jeniard: Where is it?
Coras: Eighth tent, fourth row west.
Starlin stands.
Starlin: Let's go take care of it, then.
Starlin: Don't want any legal problems here.
Coras: There aren't any.
Coras leads the way to his tent.
Jeniard follows along with Starlin.
Coras enters the tent looking for Jesup. He finds a note letting him know she will be back soon.
Starlin thinks that Coras doesn't zlin well, but also doesn't zlin to be at death's door.
Coras rummages through his backpack to pull out a very worn and much examined set of papers. They have seen better days and have kept the Tecton bureaucrats up in arms for months now. He hands them to Jeniard.
Jeniard reads the documents.
Starlin starts calculating how long Coras would have to survive to get the local union through its current credit crisis.
Coras has been zlinning Starlin's concern but has had other things on his mind.
Jeniard is looking for the information he'd expect to find in such a circumstance: what Controller, and where, issued them, whether or not Coras is OK to work and if so, where, how much, and under whose supervision; and of course, what district or area Coras is assigned for his channel's transfers.
Starlin is concerned about Coras' health, of course, but there's not much he can do about that, and free accountants don't fall from the trees every day.
Coras would like to assure Starlin that he will be alive long enough to do what is required by the union but he is waiting for Jeniard to get to the letter of dispensation at the back of the stack of papers.
Coras has watched several Controllers read that letter and just sit not believing that he could have been released from all his duties to the Tecton.
Coras has also waited for weeks under suspicion of being a rogue channel while they received confirmation from the Twain District Controller.
Coras hopes that just once, the confirmations that are also attached to the bundle will be enough.
Jeniard sighs; the paperwork pretty much confirms what he'd feared.
Jeniard: How long has it been since you reported for a legal transfer?
Jeniard has no idea how Coras has been getting away with it, but it would have taken him at least a month to get here, so he has to have gotten transfer somewhere.
Coras: Four months, eight days, 5 hours roughly.
Jeniard: Have you done any work as a channel in that time?
Coras: None.
Jeniard thinks that it's a sign of how rogue-happy Neptude was getting with his assignments, that Arat could spot one in a mob like this.
Jeniard: Well, that's in your favor.
Jeniard: Who's been serving your transfers?
Coras thinks this one is taking the whole thing rather well.
Coras: Jesup. She is not a Tecton Donor any longer. She is under ban.
Coras know he couldn't lie to a First even if he wanted to.
Jeniard: Are you prepared to turn yourself in peacefully, and either return to the Twain District or go on channel's transfer here?
Jeniard is aware that Arat has not yet had time to recreate the crack channel-collection teams he'd had in Capitol, but Coras and Jesup might well become the inspiration to do so if they do not cooperate.
Jeniard rather hopes to keep Arat out of direct involvement in this. It would be so much easier for the vict... er... rogues.
Coras looks at Starlin sadly.
Starlin returns Coras' glance. He had not realized his status wasn't legal, or he would have kept him out of sight.
Starlin thinks there was a lot Coras didn't tell him.
Coras: Under article six section four of the Dispensation, I choose to decline channel's transfer.
Jeniard: You may choose to die of attrition if you wish, however you are not encouraged to.
Jeniard is now certain that Arat will turn this fellow over to Snake.
Starlin goes pale at the turn this conversation is taking.
Starlin is not squeamish about physical injuries, but attrition is another matter.
Coras: I'm too tired to argue. My only concern is for Jesup. She merely did me a kindness.
Starlin wishes Coras had filled him in on his situation. There are plenty of quiet hide-outs in the wilderness where they could have stashed him and his Gen.
Jeniard: Arat is fair. If she cooperates, it can go well for her.
Jeniard leaves out the bit about Arat being a stone cold a****** to people who don't cooperate.
Coras: She can't work and I can't either.
Jeniard zlins Coras again. He still can't see why. There is some damage to the selyn transport nerves, but not what he'd consider an absolute work-stopper. Then again, he'd leave any serious speculation on that matter to Arat.
Coras: And I wouldn't try to take her. She hasn't killed but she has a real phobia of enclosed spaces. That's why we're out here.
Jeniard marks the words "she hasn't killed but" and takes that to mean a kill by Jesup is a real risk.
Jeniard: I will leave any decision making on that matter up to Arat. As I said, he is fair.
Jeniard is sure Arat's first step will be to have Jesup seized before she latches onto another poor Sime.
Jeniard: I am sorry.
Jeniard: We cannot afford any accidents.
Coras: She was on her way home when she came across me. She's an O-T citizen.
Coras: She couldn't deal with Tecton life.
Starlin sees his credit union brainstorm blowing away over the horizon.
Jeniard: Perhaps she will be able to arrange to be returned across the border, then.
Jeniard won't make any promises.
Coras: I hope so.
Coras adds for your sakes.
Jeniard zlins the threat implicit in Coras' last sentence and thinks that this is a thoroughly unpleasant business.
Jeniard is still glad Arat sent him, though; Arat would have shredded this fellow alive. He doesn't deserve that, self-pity and illegal status or no.
Coras: She won't put up a fight if it's my decision to die.
Coras: I think she was getting tired of me anyway.
Jeniard wonders how much of Coras' self-pity and apathy was caused by bad transfers with someone who was tired of him.
Starlin thinks that maybe its a good thing that the Tecton is taking this channel in hand; SWAT cannot afford to be associated with any more illegal activities at this time.
Jeniard: Why don't you come back with me, and we will have a talk with Arat.
Coras: Sure. What are you going to do with Jesup?
Jeniard: That will be up to Arat.
Jeniard: If she says she is willing to be deported, and if she is not guilty of any crimes that would prevent that action, he would probably grant the request.
Jeniard thinks she could get away relatively scot-free in that case, given that the Gens do not have many laws regarding illegal transfer to Simes in Sime Territory.
Coras: No good deed goes unpunished.
Jeniard does not have as much impatience with this sort of attitude as Arat does, and only looks at Coras.
Jeniard has the perspective to know that the laws were made for a reason, and are upheld for a reason, and they are good reasons.
Jeniard thinks it is ironic, though; his own good deed today will go forever unnoticed.
Notes:
1) Some time passes between these two scenes. [return]
Go on to Episode #21: Lugubrious Maximus
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